Suspected DUI Arrest Leads to BCSO Sergeant's Administrative Leave in San Antonio

An off-duty Bexar County Sheriff's Office sergeant found himself on the wrong side of the law early Thursday morning, nabbed by San Antonio Police for suspected drunk driving and now facing the sober reality of administrative leave. Houston Pons, 43, who has spent 16 years with the BCSO, was arrested at approximately 2 a.m. along the Loop 410 access road. He's been handed a notice of proposed dismissal and has been placed on unpaid administrative leave, as confirmed in an email from the sheriff's department.

The veteran sergeant's bind was set at a mere $1,000, according to KSAT. An additional investigation by SAPD runs parallel to Pons' impending criminal case, with both lines of inquiry hanging heavy over his head. Pons, assigned as a patrol supervisor for BCSO’s West Patrol since Oct. 29, 2007, was issued a DWI charge contingent upon court records from Bexar County.

Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar didn't mince words when addressing the incident. "Although this agency has made great strides with regard to arrests for misconduct, it’s clear we still have some work to do. I maintain a strict disciplinary stance on this issue, so the swift and severe consequences for his actions should come as no surprise to this employee," Salazar stated. The quote, a testament to the department's tough stance on internal misconduct, was obtained from a news release shared by KENS 5.

The sheriff's office expressed a committed resolve to purge misconduct within their ranks, underscoring the incident as another hurdle in their continued effort to uphold the integrity of the badge. The BCSO email didn't conceal the disappointment nor the stern admonishment that comes with such breaches of conduct and public trust.